//------------------------------//
// Maud: Rich Distaste 
// Story: Chosen Love 
// by Just A Random Pegasus 
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An uneasy silence fell over Maud and Crystal Geode as they walked the streets of the Crystal Empire. Maud could tell that Geode was nervous and deep in thought, but she didn't know what to say to him. 

"Maud?" He broke the silence, much to Maud's relief.

"Yeah?"

"I just... I'm sorry, I just really do not want to see my parents again. They've always been unpleasant. I'm even afraid of what they could say to you."

Maud nudged him. "Well, everypony at least has some respect from others. I don't think they'll say ruder things than I can imagine."

Geode looked to the ground. "Then you obviously have never met my parents. All they think about are themselves." 

The two neared a large mansion; only a little bigger than Geode's. Crystal stopped on the stairs and turned back to Maud.

"I apologize for anything they say, and hope you won't take it personally. I guarantee you they're going to say something hurtful to you within the first five seconds of seeing you."

Maud raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

Geode blushed as he shook his head. "No! That's just what they do to everypony!" He said, keeping his voice soft. "I never want guests in my house because my parents judge them whenever they do something wrong!" He paused and took a breath. "I just really wished they stopped prying in my business. Apparently they heard from their sources of gossip I was with you, and now want to meet you and have dinner with you, and they wouldn't take 'let's do it next month' for an answer from me. I just... hope they're kind to you." He slowly looked at the door before knocking. No answer. He shrugged his shoulders and opened the large doors, peeking in.

"Mom? Dad?" He timidly said. Maud was hidden behind the door, however, she could hear hoof-steps approaching. 

"Crystal, dear, it's nice to see you again. Where is your marefriend?" A feminine, accented voice asked. 

Geode took a breath before opening the door wider, revealing Maud. 

"Mom, dad, this is my marefriend, Maud Pie," he greeted as Maud walked in. He closed the door shut behind her, which was the only noise in the silent room.

Maud took a look at the mansion. The interior seemed to be made up of bright stones; it was even more beautiful than Geode's home. A large, golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a brilliant light onto the floor. Many rooms were hidden behind doors which connected to the large foyer.

She then took a good look at Geode's parents. They were both crystal unicorns, and were dressed with... almost too much stuff, like they were trying to show off. His mom had a blue coat, orange eyes, and a brilliant scarlet mane. His father had a light orange coat with blue eyes and nicely groomed, white mane. He also had a flowing moustache. 

Geode's father immediately approached Maud, pointing at her tunic with an outstretched hoof. He turned to Geode.

"Crystal Cerulean Geode, what in the name of Cadance is this?!" He asked, making it known the mare's choice of fashion was not to his liking. "Have you not been a good stallionfriend and bought her something nicer?!"

Geode tried to say something, but then fell silent. He scanned his father. "But... she likes it..."

"That's no excuse to not be kind and courteous to your mare," he said as he walked by, roughly slapping his son with his tail. From how Geode winced, Maud deduced it hurt. "Did your mother and I enroll you in etiquette school for nothing?!" 

Crystal looked to the ground, anger manifesting itself in his chest. Maud could tell from his expression that he wanted to leave. 

Crystal's mom stepped forward, scanning Maud. "Hello. I am Crystal Geode's mother. It's... a pleasure to meet you. What do you work as?"

Maud blinked. "I am going to be a geologist teacher for the Crystal Empire high school."

The unicorn mare judgmentally raised an eyebrow. "The public school?"

Maud nodded. "Yes, public."

The mare lifted her snout up in the air. "Well, I sure hope you'll be able to make enough money to support my son and his mansion."

Maud nodded. "I'll try my hardest, ma'am."

The mare slightly smiled before her look turned stoic again. "I like your attitude, Maud." 

Crystal stepped in front of Maud. "Mom, other room. We need to talk."

As he was walking away, his mother stopped him by magically grabbing his tail. "Crystal, manners?"

Crystal turned around. "Mom, may I see you in the other room please? You too, dad?" He asked. His parents followed him into a room off to the side, leaving Maud in the foyer.





As soon as Crystal shut the door, he glanced at his parents. "May I... make a request for tonight?"

His mother nodded. "Go ahead, dear." 

Crystal cleared his throat. "Would you please be kind to Maud tonight? I don't want to chase her away."

His parents nodded. "Sure, son. We won't hurt your mare," his father said. "Just be sure to treat her with respect as well."

Geode nodded. "Yes, dad." 

Crystal opened the door as the three left. His father looked at Maud.  "Are you hungry, Maud?"

Maud nodded. "Yes." She followed the unicorns into the kitchen as they started serving food to each plate. Maud sat down and looked at the food in front of her. It didn't look like much, but it was arranged in a very fancy way. Her sister Pinkie Pie has described this type of food to her, and told her that it tastes horrible. Maud internally sighed. 

After everypony started eating, Maud took a small bite. Pinkie was right. It did not taste very good. Maud forced the so-called food down her throat. 

Geode's mother cleared her throat. "What type of food do you normally eat at home, Maud?" 

With this, Crystal buried his head in his hooves. His mother's attention snapped over to him in an instant. 

"Crystal! Get your head out from your hooves! It is very disrespectful at the dinner table!" She demanded as he revealed his face, his ears folding back. She then looked back to Maud. "I'm sorry about that, Maud. Answer the question, please."

"Well, my family eats a diet of primarily rocks... and rock soup."

The unicorn mare scrunched up her nose in disgust. "I... see. Where did you grow up? You certainly don't... appear like you're from the Crystal Empire." 

Maud shook her head. "You are correct. I grew up in a rock farm just outside of Ponyville."

The older mare thought. "I see..." She paused for a moment to take another bite of her cuisine. "Your family hasn't... earned a lot of money, have they, Maud?"

"Mom!" 

"Crystal, remain silent until somepony speaks to you!" She snapped as her son took an angry bite of food. 

Maud looked around, feeling a bit... invaded. She doesn't normally tell ponies about her family's financial status. 

"Um... my family doesn't like to talk about our finances in public."

The unicorn nodded slowly. "I see." The four fell into silence again, to Maud's dismay. It was even more unsettling than the trip over. 

"So, Maud, how did you meet my son? And how did you two start dating?" She asked, her judgmental stare still on Maud.

Maud slightly smiled as she remembered. "I met him at his shop a little while ago. He showed me to a hotel, since I was just visiting at the time. Over the next few days, we warmed up to each other. I helped him overcome something he was struggling with, and because of that and feelings for me, he asked me out."

The other mare raised an eyebrow. "You said my son was struggling with something? What could my son be struggling with?"

Maud raised a hoof. "He-" She was cut off by a blue hoof over her mouth.

"It's nothing! I really wasn't-"

"Crystal Geode, what a despicable action! Quieting your marefriend with a hoof to her face... goodness, how many manners have you forgotten?"

Geode drew his hoof away. "Uh... sorry, dad."

His father looked away and mumbled something under his breath. His mother leaned forward. 

"Maud, what was Crystal struggling with? I don't care that he doesn't want you to say it. You will tell us."

Maud blinked. She didn't know why Geode was so hesitant about it, and didn't want to face his parents' wrath by not speaking up. She took a breath. "Well... Crystal didn't want to act fancy and boring in public anymore-"

"So are you saying you turned my son into an uncivilized commoner?"

Maud blinked, her neutral look forming into a glare. "He wanted to be able to be light hearted and fun in public, so I helped him with that."

The blue mare blinked before her glare turned harsh and intimidating. "I'm sorry, but rich, classy, civilized ponies need to be pleasant and presentable at all times. That may be a bit difficult for you to understand. And his charming personality he used to have was perfect. If you hadn't changed him, maybe then he could have brought home a beautiful, rich, classy mare like he was supposed to!" 

Silence fell over the table as three heads stared at the mare in utter disgust and disbelief. Even her husband turned and gave a look of "I'm so sorry she said that" to Maud.

"I..." Maud slowly rose. Her legs didn't even feel controlled by her brain anymore. She could only think of one thing, one thing she was sure of. Crystal Geode's parents would forbid him from dating her. "I promised... I'd try..." Was all she got out. She looked up to see her vision of the table growing fuzzy. She didn't know when or why she turned and ran, or where she was going even. She just felt her legs taking her as far away as possible. 





A magical aura closed the door behind Maud, who was now not able to be seen. As soon as the door snapped shut, Crystal's temper boiled. He raised from his seat and turned, fury easy to see in his eyes. 

"Did you even listen to a word I asked of you?!" He asked his mother, a dark, eerie glow starting to come from around his eyes. 

"Crystal, she went against everything we ever taught you. And you know if you don't marry a well-known, rich mare, your social status won't go anywhere!"

Geode growled. "I don't give a flying feather about my social status! You try to mold me to act like you and it makes me so... peeved!" 

His parents gasped. "Crystal Geode, you know better than to use that language!" 

"I don't care!" He snarled. "And I know you don't care about how much I succeed; you only care about how much you succeed!" 

Geode's mother was taken aback. "Crystal, that is not true!"

"It is true and you know it!" He snapped back. "You forced me to model just so you could say your son is a model! You got a mansion for me just so you can say that your son lives in a mansion as well! And you want me to marry an important mare just so you can brag about how I married someone important! But let me tell you something!" He got closer to the table. "Maud makes me happier than anypony can. She loves me even through my faults, and is always there for me. Those other mares wouldn't make me nearly as happy!"

"But... they'll save your social status!"

"Did you not hear me?!" His voice was turning into a shout. "I said that I don't care about my social status! And neither should you!" He said, the dark glow around his eyes growing. His horn was engulfed in a black aura, and before he knew it, he fired it. Glasses were shattered, and the black beam coming from Geode's horn caused a hole to be ripped in the table. As the dark magic disappeared from his horn, he looked at the table in disbelief for a second, the glow around his eyes fading. After looking up to his parents in anger, he turned and ran out the door, afraid of what he just did, wanting to get away from the worst parents in Equestria, and desperately wanting to find Maud.